Archive for July, 2010

July 29, 2010

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Finding Your Perfect Car Show

Deciding which type of car show thrills you the most is not always easy, after all there are so many and your options are so large that it is sometimes quite easy to be confused and lose track of which are which, and what you like, as well as which you dislike. The easiest thing to do generally is to determine which type of car you are most interested in, this then helps you to narrow down the field.

Some of the most popular car shows are the antique car shows, and also the street rod and hot rods. These are all different and feature different types of cars. Everyone who enjoys one type is not always thrilled and fond of the others. If you enjoy and appreciate the finer things in cars and really enjoy looking at the gorgeous cars of yesterday then the antique shows may be perfect for you. If however, you really enjoy the idea of looking at cars that are created with the idea of racing you may find that this is not your style to look at antique cars.

For those who love speed and racing the street rods and even the hot rod shows tend to be a much better solution and offer a much more fun experience. There are generally plenty of shows in both categories and seeing the different cars can be quite thrilling and exciting. In addition, there are also car shows that are geared towards specific models. This is typically most common in higher end cars, but is sometimes done for lower models as well. If you are interested in a particular model such as Ferraris there is nothing better than going to a Ferrari show and being surrounded.

Once you have determined the type of car show that you are interested in you can start looking around. If you find a car show that you are unsure about, call and ask the event coordinators what types of cars will be present. Generally, you should be able to gather enough information before the show that you can avoid those that are not of interest to you, and instead focus on those shows that you do find interesting. Feel free to ask questions, and you are going to have a better time.

You may discover that if you subscribe to a magazine that specializes in the type of car that you are interested in you have a much easier time locating the shows that interest you. Most street rod magazines for example are not going to list car shows for trucks or even antique cars. The process of elimination is usually heavily used and typically, only car shows applicable to the magazine are published and advertised to help make it easy for people to find exactly what they are looking for.

There are some newsletters that you can sign up for as well. These newsletters typically publish the dates and locations for various types of car shows all around the country and even tend to list a few international shows in case people are interested. While the number of shows that are listed tends to vary depending on the style of the car, it can be a great source of information and make it much easier than having to search all around to find the car that you are most interested in.

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Archive for July, 2010

July 29, 2010

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Finding Your Perfect Car Show

If you are looking for a great antique car show you are certainly not alone and there are dozens of shows each year that are ready and waiting to satisfy your craving for gorgeous old cars. There are car shows in almost all locations around the world that focus on older cars and this is the perfect opportunity to get your fill of these beautiful cars. But how do you really locate the show that you are interested in? There are plenty of great car shows that are available and with some tips and suggestions, you are sure to find the show of your dreams.

Start looking on the internet. There are thousands of shows listed on the internet and with some decent research skills, you can move past the hot rod and street shows and are merely left with the antique car shows. If you are determined to really put forth a good effort, you can typically find a show for each weekend for a year or more. Finding the car show online can allow you to easily narrow the search down to just your particular area, and it can also allow you to search for shows that are only in a particular area you choose or during a particular time of year that you specify.

Another option that you have is looking in the antique car magazines. There are always shows going on, and the antique car magazines are typically only going to list the antique car shows that are going on. Additionally, many of the magazines are able to usually offer these lists broken down by both month and region in which they are held. This can help you to easily organize several trips at the same time, rather than cross referencing information to even schedule a single trip.

One of your other options is to check with the antique car clubs that are in your area. Many of the members are likely to participate in these shows so they generally know exactly when the shows are, where they are located and plenty of other useful information. Always look for the clubs that are particularly specializing in antiques in order to get the best results. If you call just a general car club, they may not be able to help you with antique car shows since most of their information will be lumped together by date, rather than type of car featured.

Look at your local newspapers as well as city calendar to help you as well. Often these resources will list car shows that are coming up and are great sources of new car shows. The good news about these is they are usually in your local region as well, but the options that are listed tend to be very limited this way because there is almost nothing that will be listed in different regions or even states. The options will be much smaller, and additionally they are not generally announced as far in advance using these methods. This can make planning in advance a bit of a hassle particularly if you are trying to organize numerous car shows for the same weekend, or fill up an entire summer with tons of antique car shows.

If you have a membership in a car club yourself look to your monthly newsletter to give you a bit of information. These newsletters typically list all car shows that are coming up in the near future and will only list basic information but generally give you the information several months in advance. This can allow plenty of time to plan out the trip if you need to travel and can be a huge timesaver.

Your last option is to ask around at each car show that you attend. Most car shows are going to know about other shows that are around the same time. Asking some questions of the organizers or even looking for a program of the car show will generally be a great way to help locate the next great antique car show that you are interested in attending without having to do hours of research.

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Archive for July, 2010

July 29, 2010

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Finding Your Perfect Car Show

Okay, you’re thinking of buying a car for your driving- age teenager, and with the price of new cars climbing you’ve decided on getting one that’s pre-owned.

These tips will help steer you towards a used car that fits the bill without breaking your budget.

• The first step is to determine how the car will be used by the teen. If it’s for commuting or trips to college and back, then gas mileage and comfort may be your biggest considerations. With gas prices high, fuel economy is an important consideration.

• Make a list of some vehicle safety features you’re looking for. For example, are you interested in anti-lock brake systems and integrated seat belt systems?

•Before you start shopping, set a budget for how much you want to spend. Research a few models that meet your criteria and price range. The Web sites kbb.com and Edmunds.com offer pricing information and comprehensive advice on buying a used car.

• Obviously, finding a safe and reliable vehicle for your teen is top priority. The Carfax Safety and Reliability Report allows you to view the auto industry’s leading used-car safety ratings, reliability scores and reviews in one step. The information compiled in these reports can also give some good general advice.

• Now you’re ready to start visiting dealers. For any vehicle you consider, ask detailed questions about the vehicle’s performance and history, and request maintenance and inspection records. Also, get a Carfax Vehicle History Report (most dealers will provide reports for free; you just have to ask).

• Always test-drive prospective cars on city streets and highways. This will give you a chance to thoroughly examine the car. Have your teenager drive it if you can. Make sure everything on the car works properly-brakes, gauges, lights, windows and locks. Also have a mechanic you trust check it out.

• In addition to that, you should take a look to make sure the body parts line up, the paint matches, doors open and close easily and the tires show even wear.

• Get a copy of “Finding The Best Used Car,” available from the Federal Consumer Information Center in Pueblo, Colorado (www.pueblo.gsa.gov).

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Archive for July, 2010

July 29, 2010

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Finding Your Perfect Car Show

There are several excellent sources for buying used cars. Some of the best and sought after sources are the newspaper classifieds, car auctions, and car buying guides and used car dealers.

Newspaper classified advertisements: Local newspapers can be a good source of information for purchasing used cars. The prices of the listed cars are comparatively lower than the car retail prices. Auto sellers advertise to find buyers and the buyers too benefit by buying used car for a lesser price than the retail price of the car. Since there are no middlemen involved the purchaser saves lot of money.

Guides for buying cars: There are many online guides, which list the cars for sale in the particular area with the features of the car. A buyer can search from the list of available cars with the features to suit his needs. A vehicle history report can also be got from these guides making the source a reliable and lucrative one. Some of the reputed online car guides will provide all the necessary information pertaining to the used car listed for the convenience of the buyer to make a deal comfortably sitting at home.

Car auctions: There are many kinds of car auctions available for the car purchaser. Some are listed below:

Public car auctions include cars repossessed by the financial institutions, banks and lending firms. The cars can be bought at wholesale prices from such kind of auctions. Generally these auctions are limited to people who possess dealers license, but these are however open to all.

Bankruptcy auctions allow cars to be purchased at rock bottom prices and it is also considered as one of the best sources for buying used cars. Such kind of auctions can be checked in the classifieds of the newspapers.

Government auctions sell used cars from various government departments such as the housing and urban development department, postal service department, police department, defense department, IRS, FBI etc. Good quality cars can be got at a best deal.

Car rental companies renew their rental cars every now and then, and their used cars are sold in auctions. Such car rental companies can be located in the neighborhood or can be found on the Internet by searching their websites.

Many car dealers too sell the used cars at prices lower than the wholesale rates. But many of the auctions need the bidder to have a dealers license to participate in the bid.

There are many online used car websites who provide all the information regarding the cars. It is considered as the easiest, comfortable and quickest way to buy used cars. But then people do not rely on the credibility of buying used cars online since there are lots of bogus websites. Care has to be taken while selecting the online car dealer or selling company as their credibility and reputation has to be checked thoroughly.

Purchasing used cars from new car dealers is the safest. As they sell used cars in a good condition, the price of the cars may be a little more than the above-mentioned sources. If the purchaser is very particular about the quality and reliability of the used cars, the best place to buy is from the new car dealer.

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Archive for July, 2010

July 29, 2010

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Finding Your Perfect Car Show

If you’re considering a used vehicle, don’t just ask how many miles it has-ask how many owners it’s had, too.

That’s the advice from experts who say used cars that have had only one owner may be in better shape than cars that have had multiple owners. Many of the one-owner cars are relatively new, have fewer miles on them and less overall wear and tear. While these cars may cost a bit more, the chances of a new owner having to shell out cash down the road for repairs could decrease dramatically.

This one-owner preference has helped drive many car-buying decisions, according to a recent study. Nearly nine out of 10 shoppers said they find it important to know how many owners a car has had. In addition, nearly eight out of 10 said they were more likely to purchase a car identified as having one owner than they were to purchase a car that had multiple owners. Two out of three shoppers are even willing to pay more for a one-owner vehicle.

Finding One-Owner Vehicles

The study found that franchised dealers are usually the best place to find one-owner cars, but it’s always important to do a little investigating on your own.

A good place to start is with a vehicle history report from a company such as Carfax. The company’s reports give a complete timeline of a vehicle’s ownership, and clearly indicate whether a vehicle has had one or multiple owners. The reports also indicate whether a car has been in an accident, flood or fire, or if it has been totaled and rebuilt.

In addition to running a report on any car you consider buying, it’s important to talk to the dealer about the vehicle’s previous owner. Find out why the owner sold the car in the first place and ask if the dealership can guarantee that the vehicle you are considering is a one-owner vehicle. Many dealers will provide a free vehicle history report.

If you are buying from a private seller, ask questions similar to what you would ask a dealer, but also ask for the seller’s address and phone number. If he or she is not willing to provide that information, you may want to consider walking away from the deal.

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